Moments of Clarity in business, family, and life in Des Moines Iowa from a practicing Geo-Arbitrageur

January 06, 2008

I came across a quick post from Munir Umrani. He talks about the fact that at the upcoming CES Show in Las Vegas..that bloggers get their own Lounge. They're specifically excluding reporters that ALSO blog in that lounge apparently.

Press passes have RFID chips too. Do you hear the black UN helicopters? Illuminati knocking at the door in black suits? Oops...gotta run to the Skull and Bones meeting!

I wish I could be out there at CES with you Munir but someone has to run the shadow government.

November 16, 2007

I helped somebody out with a blog a while ago. They liked the traffic generation aspects of "using the blog as the website" but they were skittish about:

Posting regularly

People commenting

Now I know...warning...red flag, etc...but we pressed forward. Fast forward to today. A comment actually came in on a post that was done a year ago. The post opened the door to be sold and for the company owner to be positioned as the expert. I connected with blog/website owner and said, "Hey here's an opportunity to reach out and either get a new client, etc." The response was, "See, that's why I don't want comments on my site."

When someone isn't ready to engage clients in a truly collaborative blog fashion...don't push them. It will be worse than than existing Front Page '95 site.

September 26, 2007

If you don't already know me personally, I do a fair amount of work in the industrial/heavy equipment rental sector helping these companies leverage technology solutions to their fullest potential while accurately measuring and recouping their investment in them. I've written an article that introduces the often "old school" rental business to blogs and their power. This article "wrote itself" after I attended a "Guerrilla Marketing" seminar for the rental industry...that didn't mention blogs whatsoever. Shame.

Here's the piece:

Ready for a blog?

You've heard of them. Perhaps you read them. You might even be one
of the 50-plus million people that have created one. But it's not
likely that you've drawn a clear connection between blogs (short for
WeB-LOGs) and your rental business. In this article, I will shed some
light on business blogging, the often misunderstood marketing tool, and
provide some reasons why it might make sense for your rental business.
(HINT: Blogging can be the most powerful weapon in your marketing
arsenal … and it's free!)

Background on blogs
When all of the hoopla is stripped away, blogs are simply websites that
make it easy for non-technical folks like you and me to show the world
what we think in words and pictures. Disappointed? Don't be. The
simplicity of blogs and the tools used to create them have spawned an
entire industry focused on providing tools enabling the rest of us to
make very professional looking blogs that complement our corporate
websites.

Also, blogging is not just about writing, it's about reading.
Although I won't focus on reading blogs in this article, using the
power of RSS feeds (RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication) and feed
readers, your company can search once and subscribe to feeds delivering
real-time news and information on your industry and your competition.
At least equally important, you can subscribe to what the industry and
others are saying about your company, so you can answer.

But I already have a website!
If you ask 100 people on the street where they go first to look up a
business, 80 percent will likely say, "I Google it." Have you spent
some time searching for your own website using common key words? If you
don't come up in the first page and your competitors do, don't feel
lonely. Most corporate websites are put up with great intentions and
many look great. However, they quickly become stale and stagnate.

Often, business owners are held hostage by the webmaster or design
company that created the site. Want to put up a new event, press
release, or product information section? Get out your wallet. As a
result, most sites transition from "web" to "cob web" in less than six
months. Stale websites do not impress search engines.

While there are techniques to make your website rise in rankings,
typically called SEO or Search Engine Optimization, you can help your
company ascend the ranks by posting quality content to your blog with
regularity. Regular blog postings (three to five times per week) are
consumed by search engines voraciously. As more people find and link to
your quality posts, they become more "relevant" to the search engines
and the site rises in the rankings. By linking your blog site to your
corporate website, you can complete the circle and drive more people
through the front door. Of course, simply posting random thoughts about
the weather will not attract the masses.

Business blogging is really two-way communication between a business
and its clients or potential clients. Blogs provide the platform for
your company to become more findable and for the public at large to
comment and link to what they're reading.

Before you jump in with both feet, it's important to establish the
reasons why your business should blog in the first place. After all,
you're probably not looking for more workload to fill the day. Let's
not forget that your goal in creating this business blog is most likely
increasing revenues and differentiating yourself from the competition.

Blogging tools
The most common blogging software platforms today are Blogger(www.blogger.com), WordPress ( www.wordpress.com), and Typepad (www.typepad.com).
Each has strengths and weaknesses but all allow the author to create a
blog site and start posting with zero upfront expense. If your company
outgrows the software or desires more technical tools, they're readily
available. These products allow even the most technically challenged
among us to put a blog up and post entries in minutes.

Eventually, you might want to employ someone to match the look and
feel of your blog to your website. Or, you might even go so far as
transitioning your entire corporate site into a blog site. Remember,
"findability" is what you're after and a blog's freshness of content
provides the fresh new treats that search engines love to eat.

Be different, honest, informative
Your company blog is a platform to highlight what makes your rental
operation special. Here are some blog post topics that come to mind if
I were posting to your blog:

Share times that things went wrong and what you learned from them.
Sometimes I get bored with hearing about how well things go. Tell me
about some times when you messed up and how you made them right. These
tales get my attention.

Discuss specialized solutions your company provides the industry. I
love hearing out-of-the-box solutions to complex situations. If your
firm has innovated, tell the world! If you think the competition won't
find out eventually, think twice. Share with the industry.

Mention specials or other unique promotions your company is
offering. A blog is not merely a site for your electronic sales
pitches, but it can be a place to strategically share your specials. If
you offer your clientele something they need, they'll likely forward
the deal to their friends.

Expose the unique talents of your employees. It's really cool to see
that your sales coordinator is a drummer in a rock band and that your
shop foreman is a gourmet cook, specializing in French cuisine. Expose
a little bit more of what makes up your company's unique personality.
These details give outsiders a glimpse of what it's like to deal with
you before they walk through the door and might provide "instant
rapport" when the potential client walks in the door.

Your unique blogging voice
Your company's "blogging voice" and flare will evolve over time. You
should encourage many in your organization to write for the blog and
see where they take it. Of course, the software makes it easy to
moderate and edit the posts in case someone decides to post a rant
about your management style. Also, don't forget that there might be a
budding writer out there operating your equipment.

Engage your organization in blogging passion and watch the results!

Doug Mitchell is the vice president of business development at
Dispatching Solutions Inc., a provider of logistics software and GPS
tracking solutions to the equipment rental industry.

June 01, 2007

Blogging is like a Mommy:Mommies are patient and sometimes don't get the feedback they desire. Sometimes mommies get all dressed up and look for positive comments from the family...and they don't exactly come rolling in, but mommy presses on...contributing and adding to the family and community.

Other times, mommies get a quick note completely out of the blue saying, "I love you mommy" and it makes all of her efforts worthwhile.

Mommies have a tough schedule and it's often difficult juggle the needs of the family and mommy's needs. In the end, Mommy's needs are often sacrificed first.

Mommies need a break every now and again to recharge, refresh, and come up with new ideas on how to be a better mommy.

Sometimes, mommy gives herself a makeover and adds new highlights, wardrobe, and jewelry to make herself feel and look better. Then, sometimes, she backs off from the bling after discovering it cluttered who she really was.

Finally if mommy needs help, she can call upon her family for support and guidance.

April 27, 2007

A while ago I talked about authenticated RSS feeds (those that require a user name and password so the world cannot grab them) and readers that can handle them. Newsgator is a popular reader that can handle them...and deliver feeds via email by the way.

Newsgator seems slow. It's refreshes are at least double the time that it takes for Bloglines to do the same. When your used to Ferrari, it's hard to go Yugo.

Newsgator's user interface just seems more difficult to read. Maybe it's smaller font size...but I don't prefer how it breaks apart let's say 100+ entries into multiple "pages" that one must click through. Since I had it set to "mark all as read" when I entered the category, it took me a few times of missing more than half the posts to realize that I hadn't clicked over to "page 2".

I have never really gotten the email delivery to just "work". It worked a few times but when I set up newsgator the first time, it defaulted everything to arrive via email too...thus I received 1000+ emails over a 1 hour period. This is probably user error on set up but it happened.

The "settings" tab is not so intuitive. It took a long time for me to extract the method for exporting the OPML file. I'm comparing this to Bloglines where the export function is clearly exposed on the home screen.

I think Newsgator is well positioned as an enterprise RSS tool, but even as a paying subscriber, I've gone back to Bloglines for now and I'm reading and getting through my RSS feeds as fast as I used to.

The key decision point for me came when I realized I was AVOIDING feed reading because I knew it would take so long.

April 24, 2007

I just had a "get to know you" session with Steve Reese from Fitness Together in Clive.

We talked about everything from my fitness desires to blogging. The most interesting part of the session was when I began to describe my "emotional triggers" for food. (Steve seemed a little impressed)

I think most folks don't do a deep enough dive into themselves to figure this part out. Find out when you eat more and how your feeling when you do and you'll be well on your way to modifying the behavior. I'm not suggesting that I have solved the problem yet...rather that it's actually quite simpler than we make it.

Overcoming the problem for life is my goal. I've made strides over the last few months in making better choices with food more often and being more active with my family. However, you know there are a litany of excuses that enable me to remain under my maximum potential.

My triggers fire off subconsciously and the next thing I know, I'm gobbling down 3x the amount of food that I need to feel full. I'm not a "junk food junkie" but I am addicted to food. I'm not an "eat to feel better" person...but I associate eating a lot with pleasure, not with being fat or feeling bloated. Those are the items that I need coaching to change. Personal training is not cheap, but it's an area of life that I have determined needs fixing and that I have not been able to fix for about 15 years (when pant sizes began their annual incremental inch expansion). I'm all for paying for coaching to break through barriers that limit us.

Something tells me that Steve will be looking for the same coaching in his marketing efforts for Fitness Together. I let him know that I'd received his 3 letters introducing his services to me via mail. They were actually very effective direct mail pieces and I really wanted to respond. BUT...Not one of those direct mail pieces had his email address on them. I'd have emailed him and potentially become a client 6 months earlier, but I did NOT want to pick up the phone and chat. I expected the "hard sell" gym type membership phone call. It turns out, that's not what would have happened as their approach is very consultative and partnership based...but my preferred method of communication was not available. Thus, it went to the circular file. I really considered calling him to tell him this back then but just didn't find the time.

A referral from a fellow blogger brought me to Steve. Now, after our chat this morning, I think Steve is thinking about his blogging goals while he's helping his clients attain their fitness goals.

February 16, 2007

You are formally invited to attend the first ever global blogging BBQ (held in Iowa...the center of the blogouniverse)! Details, RSVP form, and all the particulars can be found by clicking this link but it's being held on March 17 starting at 3PM. I encourage you to spread the word and I'll do my part by spreading the Mexican BBQ fiesta! Kids welcome, etc.

I'd like to share in fellowship with you all so please come by and grab some tacos at the very least.

February 09, 2007

I hope the headline has captured you and left you wanting more. When you read this post, please keep in mind that I'm not attempting to discredit the internationally known author and speaker involved...rather I'm trying to make some observations about the fit of blogging into marketing tactics for any business.

BackgroundI recently participated on a panel discussion and presentation on heavy equipment GPS monitoring and tracking at the American Rental Association show in Atlanta. My session immediately followed one on Guerrilla Marketing for the Rental Industry presented by Orvel Ray Wilson. Mr. Wilson has authored many books and his "hit hard and hit fast and be different" approach is awesome. His company is called the Guerrilla Group and I recommend you explore what his company could do for your business. His seminar was by far the best I saw, full of energy, humor, and valuable marketing advice.

The equipment rental industry is somewhat old school...but the perfect playing field to stand out and be different right? Mr. Wilson's discussion had included only a mention of email marketing...but had zero mention of social media or blogging. Anytime someone stands in front of me and ignores something that I believe to be incredibly powerful, I feel obligated to discover the big "why".

I approached and asked the question below and I'm paraphrasing the best I can recall based on notes taken immediately afterward.

The ChatDoug: "I didn't hear you mention anything about blogging during your discussion, what role do you believe it plays in the guerrilla marketing equation?"Mr. Wilson: "Ahhhh blogging...well I don't blog...basically because I have a life...(chuckling)...I mean there's a million blogs out there and there's a lot of garbage. You have to know how to write...write editorial copy...and write well....(he got busy and began doing some other tasks).Doug: "Interesting...I really wanted to see your take since blogging is a powerful tool for some."

Mr. Wilson was busy cleaning up his laptop, etc. from his speaking session and was interacting with many of the A/V staff so I stopped asking questions and tried to take in what I'd just heard. Of course, the first thing that fired off in my brain was, "This is going to be a good post for discussion among my readers".

So I'll leave you with a few observations and questions that are still resonating in my travel fogged head.

The Takeaways

The belief that blogging is something for only good copy writers is a serious miscalculation. Blogging exposes the writer's true voice and reveals their style, tone, and method doing business very often. Anyone that reads my blog "already knows me". They know my positions, my pauses, my emphasis and my passions. Many of my top 10 marketing blogger friends around the U.S. often use "real language" to communicate their vision/passion/point. Editorial blogging is typically as boring as "mainstream media"...you know the media that folks are paying less attention to. Although many bloggers write well and with clarity, others destroy the English language and its grammar and do just dandy. Should everyone blog? I'm sure there are reasons why some shouldn't...but one of those reasons should not purely be the editorial quality of the writing. Should everyone read blogs or have searches automated to see what folks are saying about them? Yes. In fact, Mike McLaughlin who wrote Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants, blogged on this same topic a while ago. Interesting. Mike says, "If the purpose of a business blog is to reach your targeted audience,
it’s best to know someone out there would want to read your stuff. Any
one of us could rattle off a number of industries where blogs are still
an oddity, not a fixture." No and Yes. How would I have ever known that finding a certain part number for an internal air card on my Dell laptop could help so many people around the world? Well...it happened, because I blogged on it. I had absolutely no idea that anyone would find that valuable...but they did, by the boat load. In the heavy equipment rental space, I bet there are few blogs if any. If yours was the first and you blogged with even a modicum of skill in tagging or linking, you'd be found. Trust me. Why must the only value in your blog come from your direct industry? I've achieved higher search engine rankings and first page results on many key topics that I blog about often like customer service and relocation. In many cases, my more popular blog entries show up well ahead of the company's intended marketing message. Old school business models may benefit from a blog more than more high tech businesses. There's more cutting edge technology and marketing taking place in some seemingly old school segments than one would imagine. GPS technologies and telematics are taking this industry by storm and allowing equipment rental companies to provide an unparalleled level of service. I'd bet that within 90 days, I could place higher than most when searching for "equipment rental" if I put my blogging efforts toward it.

The belief that blogging is relegated to those that don't "have a life", is putting it lightly...ignorant. AUTHOR'S NOTE: I received a phone call from someone that knows Mr. Wilson suggesting that his comment about "not having a life" was likely geared towards his own personal schedule...meaning that "He'd not have a life if he were to try and blog". I have updated my post to reflect that I can see this point of view. I had been quite fair that the comment was probably just a passing commentary lacking much context, but the rest of my post stands on its own and I hope the larger point is still the overriding one) I'm pretty sure that Mr. Wilson's comment wasn't meant as a direct derogatory commentary on me, Seth Godin, Brad Feld, Tom Peters, Mark Cuban, and Guy Kawasaki. Likely it was a humorous off the cuff remark that we all make from time to time. I could list a thousand other blogs written by not so known names but the point holds. We have a life. In fact, we've taken on blogging as a means to communicate in an unfiltered way with our customers, potential customers, and casual observers. We're using our real mojo and experiences in the life-business ecosystem to provide value for others. We've all simply put a priority on understanding a new technology and new media platform. It's the platform that our future employees are very familiar with. It's the platform that can bring thousands of visitors scrambling to see what you think about the business trends and emerging issues. Undoubtedly, this post will reach Mr. Wilson because of linking and tagging, and will probably be forwarded to him by a blogger with a life.

At the very least, interpret "blogging" as maintaining automated blog searches and tag searches to find out what people are saying about you when you're sleeping. Nothing is more powerful than receiving an unsolicited "Thanks" or "Ooops" from the CEO of a company because they were paying attention. If you're paying attention you have a serious competitive advantage vs. those who aren't. Leverage that and odds are, you'll do better than "the rest". Period.

The essence of guerrilla marketing for me is doing what isn't normally done, doing it cheap(er), doing it different. Blogging is the pinnacle of cheap, different, and REAL. It's worth an hour long workshop to understand the basics. Then, if the CEO can't seem to put a coherent thought together, then find someone in the organization who can or hire someone.

I think next year, you'll see a seminar by Doug called, "Social Media and the Heavy Equipment Rental Industry: How To Get A Life Through Blogging!". I invite your commentary.

January 17, 2007

I've gotten into the habit of pruning my feeds (eliminating those that bother me, annoy me, provide too much information that's repetitive), etc.once every couple of weeks. This topic was brought up at the latest blog workshop put on by Mike Sansone.

Someone asked about "accumulating many feeds and overload of information". I proudly proclaimed that I subscribe to (or have created) over 175 feeds and that it doesn't take me long to get through them daily. Between skimming headlines and doing quick scans, I can see what's important to me. Then, over time, as I find that day after day I'm skipping a feed, I cut it. Here's some tips.

Don't OD on National, International, or other headline news feeds. The same junk usually pops up in 50 places 50X per day. Be selective.

Do subscribe to feeds that you find in your areas of interest. As you read them through the weeks, you'll know if the relevance is still there. If not, cut them. I used to have all the 'buzz" blogs on technology only to find that they were meaningless to me.

Refine your feeds that you create. My search for "Midwest New Business" provided nothing but junk. I had to refine the language and ultimate some I've had to delete entirely.

Trimming the fat will help you maintain focus and be more effective in your connectedness and conversation continuations...say that three times! Have a wonderful day.

January 13, 2007

There are many that recommend as a general rule that "shorter posts" are best for blogs...giving the reader the chance to "get in and get out". That's probably a good basic guideline. However, I believe that the length of your posts is automatically determined by the voice of your blog, the topics you cover, your personality, and the skill with which you lay out the prose. Maybe folks hit my posts and say, "here we go again" and move on. I'm not so sure I'll ever know. But my writing style lends itself to deeper explanations and more words, whether I'm talking about steak or branding. Ooops...this is a short post!